Automatic Paper Feed Device

ABSTRACT

An automatic paper feed device is disposed in a machine with a plurality of paper feed slots and comprises a paper storing unit having a plurality of inclined paper feed trays or paper feed slots, and a paper stopping unit which is mounted before the joint of a paper feed roller and the inclined paper feed trays or the paper feed slots. A driving member controls the movement of the paper stopping unit, and the paper stopping unit moves at a lower portion of the papers to be fed. By such arrangements, the papers fed at different inclinations and in different orders will be stopped by the paper stopping unit, and then will be released according to the predetermined order of the paper feed trays, so as to avoid the problem of paper jam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automatic paper feed device disposed in a machine with a plurality of paper feed trays or paper feed slots, wherein the paper can be automatically fed according to the predetermined order of the paper feed trays.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Nowadays, automatic paper feed devices are mainly used in printers and scanners, and since a plurality of paper feed trays or paper feed slots are used more and more in the above-mentioned paper feed devices, in addition to the effect of separating and positioning the papers of different sizes, the automatic paper feed device is easy to operate and having more accuracy of positioning. Therefore, the use of paper feed trays or paper feed slots is very important to the printers and scanners.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a conventional scanner 10 with an automatic paper feed device 11 is shown, the automatic paper feed device 11 is disposed in the scanner 10. Three inclined paper feed trays 101, 102 and 103 of different sizes are formed in the top surface of the scanner 10 arranged in order by size for feeding papers of different sizes. Referring to FIG. 2, the user puts the papers into the inclined paper feed trays 101, 102 and 103 arranged in order by size, and a paper feed roller 111 of the automatic paper feed device 11 drives the firstly entered paper, however, the conventional scanner with an automatic paper feed device has the following disadvantages:

Firstly, although the three inclined paper feed trays 101, 102 and 103 of different sizes are arranged in order by size for feeding papers of different sizes, it is unable to ensure that the papers are fed according to the predetermined order, as a result, small paper P2 and big paper P1 will contact the paper feed roller 111 simultaneously, and this will cause the problem of paper jam, which is also professionally called Multifeed.

Secondly, even if the big paper P1 and small paper P2 are fed simultaneously, the big paper P1 and the small paper P2 might contact the paper feed roller 111 simultaneously due to different gravities (such as heavy cards and envelopes), and this will cause the problem of paper jam, which is also professionally called Multifeed.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an automatic paper feed device which can avoid the problem of paper jam.

To achieve the above-mentioned objective, an automatic paper feed device of the present invention comprises a paper stopping unit mounted before the joint of a paper feed roller and inclined paper feed trays of a paper storing unit, a driving member controls the movement of the paper stopping unit, and the paper stopping unit moves at a lower portion of the papers to be fed. Thereby, the papers fed at different inclinations and in different orders will be stopped by the paper stopping unit, and then will be released according to the predetermined order of the paper feed trays, so as to avoid the problem of paper jam.

It is to be noted that the automatic paper feed device can be disposed in a machine with a plurality of paper feed trays or paper feed slots.

In addition, the present invention further includes an elastic member located correspondingly to and protruded towards the inclined paper feed trays, and the elastic member located before the paper stopping unit will slightly push against the papers to be fed, so as to prevent the gravity from affecting the sequence in which the papers are released, such that the papers can be fed smoothly.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional scanner with an automatic paper feed device;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of showing the conventional scanner with an automatic paper feed device;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of showing the papers not placed in order of the conventional scanner with an automatic paper feed device;

FIG. 4 is another enlarged view of showing the problem of paper jam of the conventional scanner with an automatic paper feed device;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of showing an automatic paper feed device with a plurality of paper feed trays in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of showing the stopping operation of a paper stopping unit;

FIG. 7 is another enlarged view of showing the releasing operation of the paper stopping unit;

FIG. 8 is a further enlarged view of showing the releasing operation of the paper stopping unit;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view of showing an elastic member in accordance with the automatic paper feed device with a plurality of paper feed slots of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view of showing an automatic paper feed device with a plurality of paper feed slots in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 5, an automatic paper feed device 2 in accordance with the present invention comprises a paper storing unit 20, a paper feed roller 21 and a paper stopping unit 22 and is disposed in a machine 30.

The paper storing unit 20 includes three inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203 of different sizes arranged in order by size for feeding big paper P1 and small paper P2 of different sizes, and the inclinations of the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203 are provided for feeding the big paper P1 and the small paper P2 by taking advantage of gravity. The structure and change of the above-mentioned machine 30 are of conventional techniques and will not be described in detail.

The paper feed roller 21 is disposed at a lower portion of the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203 and drives the big paper P1 and the small paper P2 to move from the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203 to an image processing position (not shown).

The paper stopping unit 22 is driven by a driving member 23 and is mounted before the joint of the paper feed roller 21 and the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203. In addition, the driving member 23 controls the movement of the paper stopping unit 22, and the stopping unit 22 is able to stop the big paper P1 and the small paper P2 and then release them simultaneously.

The above-mentioned structure and technique are the main structure of the present invention, and the detailed operation of the embodiment is described as follows:

With reference to FIG. 5, before feeding the papers, the paper stopping unit 22 is driven by the driving member 23 to locate before the joint of the paper feed roller 21 and the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203 of the paper storing unit 20.

With reference to FIG. 6, when the user puts the small paper P2 into the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203 firstly, and then puts the big paper P1 (other placing orders are of the same effects). Since the paper stopping unit 22 is located before the joint of the paper feed roller 21 and the inclined paper feed trays (the reference numbers are omitted), the small paper P2 and the big paper P1 will be arranged orderly before the joint of the paper feed roller 21 and the inclined paper feed trays 201, 202 and 203.

With reference to FIG. 7, the paper stopping unit 22 is driven back by the driving member 23 to release the big paper P1 which is firstly entered from the inclined paper feed tray of the paper storing unit 20 and then to release the small paper P2, such that the big paper P1 is effectively controlled to contact the paper feed roller 21 before the small paper P2.

With reference to FIG. 8, since the paper stopping unit 22 is driven back by the driving member 23 to release the big paper P1 which is firstly entered from the inclined paper feed box and then to release the small paper P2, such that the big paper P1 is effectively controlled to contact the paper feed roller 21 before the small paper P2, and small paper P2 superposed for feeding. Thereby, the papers fed at different inclinations and in different orders will be stopped by the paper stopping unit 22, and then will be released according to the predetermined order of the paper feed trays of the paper storing unit 20, so as to avoid the problem of paper jam.

Referring to FIG. 9, the inclined paper feed tray further includes an elastic member (Mylar) that is used to push against the paper put into the inclined paper feed trays, and the elastic member is located farther away from the paper feed roller than the paper stopping unit. The elastic member is located correspondingly to and protruded towards the inclined paper feed tray.

The elastic member of the present invention is an elastic piece 40 (Mylar) having a jointing portion 41, a bent elastic portion 42 and an abutting portion 43.

The elastic piece 40 is positioned correspondingly to the inclined paper feed trays by the jointing portion 41, and the bent elastic portion 42 pushes the abutting portion 43 to form an angle between the abutting portion 43 and an inner wall of the inclined paper feed tray, so as to push the papers (the big paper P1 and the small paper P2) stopped on the paper stopping unit 22. The elastic piece 40 is located correspondingly to the inclined paper feed trays (the reference numbers are omitted), and the abutting portion 43 protruded out of the inner wall of the inclined paper feed tray will slightly push against the papers to be fed, so as to prevent the gravity from affecting the sequence in which the papers are released, such that the papers can be fed smoothly.

The above-mentioned paper stopping unit 22 is driven by the driving member 23 which is a common mechanism, for example, the driving member 23 includes a motor and a guiding member, the motor drives the guiding member, and then the guiding member moves the paper stopping unit 22. The driving member 23 can also be a solenoid valve.

It is to be noted that the machine 30 of the present invention also has other embodiments as shown in FIG. 10:

The paper storing unit 20 of the automatic paper feed device 2 is disposed in an inclined paper feed tray 204. In the top surface of the inclined paper feed tray 204 are defined paper feed slots 205, 206 and 207 which are arranged in order by size, and the paper feed slots 205, 206 and 207 with different inclinations are provided for feeding big paper P1 and small paper P2 of different sizes. The structure and change of the above-mentioned machine 30 are of conventional techniques and will not be described in detail.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. An automatic paper feed device, comprising: a paper storing unit, a paper feed roller and a paper stopping unit, wherein: the paper storing unit includes a plurality of inclined paper feed trays with different inclinations for feeding a paper; the paper feed roller is connected to the paper storing unit and drives papers to move from the paper storing unit to an image processing position; and the paper stopping unit is disposed at a joint of the paper feed roller and the paper storing unit and is controlled to move.
 2. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the paper stopping unit includes a motor and a guiding member, the motor drives the guiding member, and then the guiding member moves the paper stopping unit.
 3. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the paper stopping unit further includes a solenoid valve.
 4. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 1 further includes an elastic member that is located at the joint of the paper feed roller and the paper storing unit and is used to push against the paper put into the paper storing unit, and the elastic member is located farther away from the paper feed roller than the paper stopping unit.
 5. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elastic member is an elastic piece which is professionally called Mylar.
 6. An automatic paper feed device, comprising: a paper storing unit, a paper feed roller and a paper stopping unit, wherein: the paper storing unit includes an inclined paper feed tray and a plurality of paper feed slots, the inclined paper feed tray is provided for storing a pipe of paper, the paper feed slots with different inclinations are provided for feeding papers into the inclined paper feed tray from different angles; the paper feed roller is connected to the inclined paper feed tray and drives papers to move from the inclined paper feed tray to an image processing position; and the paper stopping unit is disposed at a joint of the paper feed roller and the inclined paper feed tray and is controlled to move.
 7. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the paper stopping unit includes a motor and a guiding member, the motor drives the guiding member, and then the guiding member moves the paper stopping unit.
 8. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the paper stopping unit further includes a solenoid valve.
 9. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 6 further includes an elastic member that is used to push against the paper put into the inclined paper feed tray and is located farther away from the paper feed roller than the paper stopping unit.
 10. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic member is located correspondingly to and protruded towards the inclined paper feed tray.
 11. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic member is disposed in the inclined paper feed tray.
 12. The automatic paper feed device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic member is an elastic piece which is professionally called Mylar. 